You Could Use a Guy Like Me
by kaylaXkittyears
Summary: A cliche story about Matt and Mello in high school. Mello is the standard emo/goth/loner, Matt is the new boy with instant popularity, Light is a senior and class president, L is captain of the chess team, and Near is… well, Near is Near.ooc, shonen-ai
1. Chapter 1

Why do I always have the most random ideas during school? Oh well. This has been bugging me all day, it kept going "write me! Write me!" so now im giving in with the hopes of shutting myself up =]

So anyway, all our favorite DN characters are in high school! Wootwoot. Mello is the standard emo/goth/loner, Matt is the new boy with instant popularity, Light is a senior and class president, L is captain of the chess team, and Near is…. well, Near is Near.

Warnings : CLICHÉ!!! Over done ideas, ooc-ness, name spoilers, random ideas, slow updates, and bad grammar.

Ages/school year: Matt- 14 /freshman, Mello- 14/freshmen, Misa- 19/senior, light- 17/senior, L- 18/senior, Near-12/freshmen (he skipped a few grades)

Chapter one- Know your enemy

[Matt's POV]

I stared at the letters above the large double-doors and scratched my face. 'Dayview High School'. Yuck. And the school colors… blue and white? Real original. I shrugged and picked up my near-empty backpack. This is my first day in high school, in a new town, and a new life.

I'm a little skeptical about the quality of education at this school, because there are about 8 stoners smoking weed on the front steps. Lovely. Since I'm here a little early, everyone's just kind of milling around in front of the school, waiting for the start of homeroom. Future cheerleaders are prancing around on the lawn and giggling to each other, a strange looking guy with a small group of almost equally strange looking guys are sitting on a low wall arguing over a chess board, a tall brown haired guy is quietly putting up with a hyperactive blonde girl, and so on and so forth, I don't have the time or patience to list all the cliques and groups.

There are a few stand-outs in the freshmen group, a tall muscular jock type, a short, young, feminine looking boy in all white clothes and white hair [a total what the fuck moment when I first saw him], and a good-looking girl/guy with dark clothes, blonde hair, and apparently no friends. I was just about to go talk to him/her when a boy about my height with short spiky blonde hair and a green day t-shirt.

"Hey man, I'm Lucas! Your new around here, right?" he says with a huge smile.

"Hi. Yeah I'm new, how'd you know? The name's Matt." I said, returning a slightly smaller smile.

"Everyone knows everyone in Dayview. No one really likes everyone, but your going to be known one way or another."

"Well that's good I guess…" I say, then nod towards the boy/girl. "Who's that?"

"Who? Oh…him? That's Mello, don't talk to him…" Lucas screwed up his face when he looked at 'Mello', like he didn't want to see him there.

"Why not?" I asked out of curiosity.

"He's psycho, seriously, man." Lucas shuddered and looked away from him. "Don't let the girly looks fool you, that dude is bad news."

"And his name is Mello…?"

"Yeah… it's sort of been an ongoing joke ever since he was little. No one even remembers his real name." He shrugged. "He doesn't seem to mind…"

"Huh… this is going to be an interesting four years." I said, taking one last look at Mello before Lucas lead me over to his friends.

"This is Denny, John, Yuki, Vic, Lisa, Dina, and Jen." He said, pointing to each person as they where introduced. They where all well dressed, clean, and good looking. I have managed to weasel my way into the cool kid clique with no effort at all. "Guys, this is Matt."

They all smiled and waved at me, asked me a question each about where I'm from and stuff like that, then the starting bell rang and we all herded inside for the first day of high school.

I couldn't help but notice that that Mello kid stayed out on the lawn, like he hadn't even heard the bell.

##

So, what do you think? I would love reviews if you think I deserve them… *pleading smile and bag of candy offered to lovely readers*


	2. Chapter 2

Orochimarusbadgirl – thanks for your review!

Okay, I was going to update yesterday, but I was sick… well, I'm still sick, but less than I was before. I thought I'd use my day off to write this.

[I don't own death note]

Chapter two- I'm like a lawyer with the way I'm always trying to get you off

[Matt's POV]

So it turns out I have all the same classes as Lucas and Yuki. It's second period now, math class. The teacher, Mr. Stein, is pretty cool, he's doing the usual get to know you shit, and it turns out he used to be in a rock band.

"So guys, what kind of-" he started, but was cut off when the door opened. "Well hello there, nice of you to show up."

Mello walked into the class, picking at the sleeve of his baggy black hoodie, and looking at Mr. Stein with a blank stare.

"What's your name?" Stein asked, Mello just shrugged and walked to an empty seat in the back of the room.

"Call him Mello, everyone else does." One of the girls in the front said.

"Alright…so Mello, what kind of music do you like?" he asked, everyone in the class turned to look at the quiet boy.

"Stuff." Mello answered, staring at the ceiling. He was sitting about three rows behind me and two seats to the left, it was the closest I'd been to him so far, and the first time I could see his face clearly. He was good looking, you'd call him pretty if he where a girl, and a bit… paler than I thought he would be. He had blue-green eyes…

"What kind of stuff?" Stein asked.

"Stuff stuff." Mello said, not removing his gaze from the apparently fascinating ceiling.

"Like musicals? Or fall out boy? Maybe nirvana? "

"Sure." He shrugged again.

"Do you have a two word limit or something?" Stein joked.

"Yeah, I do." Mello said, it sounded like it was meant to be a joke, so there where a few nervous laughs from the other students.

Why is everyone freaked around this guy? He seemed fairly normal to me.

"Fine then, don't talk to me." Stein said, mock offended. "lets hear from every one else then, what are you names and favorite bands, and do you like math calss? Lets start with you."

"Jen, bayside, no."

"Malcolm, aerosmith, I guess "

"Tony, lil' Wayne, no."

and so on and so forth, until the end of class.

Mello leaves the class first and is nowhere to be seen until lunchtime.

And so, I'm not going to tell you about science class or health, because nothing happened that is particularly interesting.

To the cafeteria!

…anyway, I sit with my new friends, eat an apple and listen to the random gossip until I spot Mello. He walks into the big cafeteria from the door that goes outside. He got in line for the schools food, grabbed a carton of chocolate milk, paid, and then went to the vending machine. He bought a chocolate bar and sat at the only empty table In the whole room. He's still got on his baggy hoodie, and he sits a little hunched over, leaning on the table.

"Matt, dude, what are you looking at?" Lucas asked, nudging me and making me jump.

"Huh?…. um, nothing, just spaced for a second." I smiled, I'm not quite sure why I lied but I did and it's too late now.

"Wake up, man." He said, smacking my back. I laughed.

"Yeah yeah, what where you talking about?"

"I wanted to know how many girlfriends you had in your hometown." Lisa said, Dina and Jen giggled.

"Uh… None." I said.

"Seriously!" they squealed.

"Yeah, seriously, I've been single forever." I said. The girls got all wide eyed and smiley, it was a little creepy.

"What about boyfriends? Leave any of them back home?" Yuki asked, Lucas and Denny started laughing, John looked a little uncomfortable, but Yuki didn't spare them a glance. I guess he's used to them.

"Nope, no boys or girls where interested back home." I said.

So I'm a liar. So sue me.

##

Like it? What do you think? Should I keep this going?

Please review!!! I'll give you virtual invisible skittles!


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to everyone who reviewed =D I lovers you all

And to jenn – omg dude you rock xD you don't even know how long I laughed when I read nonconforming as can be =] you made my day. (you'd be nonconforming to if you looked just like me)

Chapter three- bleed (I must be dreaming)

"But really, how could anyone think that chick is rock? I mean, if anything she's pop country." Yuki said, waving his hand in the air while we went up to throw out our things from lunch.

"I don't know. How did we end up discussing Hannah Montana anyway?" I ask, watching him spin around while he walked.

Such a strange boy…

Ow!

"Oh, hey I'm sorry!" I said, looking down at the person I had knocked into.

It was Mello. He was sitting on the floor and rubbing his back, his hair a little messed up.

"Whatever." He said, biting his nail and not showing much interest in standing up again.

I knelt down next to him and offered him my hand and a smile.

"Come on, let's go out to the courtyard." I said, trying to be nice.

"No." he said flatly, then stood and walked away.

"…"

"Don't worry about him. He's just like that. You'll get used to it." Yuki said, shrugging.

I nodded then got up. We threw out our stuff then went out to the courtyard, which is apparently where everyone goes to wait for the end of lunch period.

It's a nice day, a bit sunny for my taste though. Lucas and the others are standing in the center of the courtyard, talking and laughing and looking like they just popped out of some cheesy teen flick.

"What's the deal with him anyway?" I asked.

"Who? Mello? I don't know. I wasn't here when the whole thing went down cuz I was living with my grandma at the time." He shrugged. "But apparently he lost it. Weird though, from what I remember before I left he was pretty cool… but then again I was really little, so…"

"Your no help, you know that?"

"Oh well." He smiled, rocking back and forth and doing a little dance.

"What are you doing?"

"I have rich girl stuck in my head."

"What?"

"You know… the song? By Gwen Stefani?" he said.

"…So that makes you act slightly insane?"

"But of course" he beamed.

What have I gotten my self into with these people?

##

okay, so… this was semi-pointless. At least Mello and Matt have now spoken =]…sorta. Anyway, the actual plot should kick back in soon, never fear =D

[Cookies for reviews? If you think I deserve them…-pleads-]


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four- weightless

[Matt's POV]

Last period: English class.

Teacher: Mrs. Roberts.

Me: bored.

What we have to do at the moment is write a letter to our future selves. We'll apparently get it back when we graduate so we can see how much we've grown.

Whatever.

Yuki's sitting next to me, scribbling away and stopping every minute or so to mumble a few lines from whatever song he happens to be listening to in his head.

I'm no good at things like this. I can write little oneshot stories and tiny poems, but I don't have the attention span to write a letter.

Looks like Mello has the same problem. He's sitting across the room from me, blowing his hair out of his eyes and tapping his pencil on his desk. I think I've watched him write a total of about 4 words in the whole class.

Not that I'm one to talk, considering all I've written is a verse from a song I wrote with a friend back home.

_One more time,_

_One last rhyme,_

_For the fall of a town we've grown so far from._

_Almost is a word we know a lot about,_

_Huh darling?_

_It's time to face the facts._

_This game was nothing more than that._

Hooray for bittersweet memories.

"Alright guys, I've got some stuff to tell you before you leave." Mrs. Roberts says. "I know you guys hate stuff like this, but it's required so suck it up. You have to do a project."

-Insert a collective groan here-

"Come on, guys. You have two whole months to work on it. You're going to be working with partners-"

-Excited chatter-

"That I'm picking"

-More groaning-

"Okay, we're off to a bad start, guys, but it'll get better." She sighed. "Alright, so what the project is to write something. It has to be at least two pages long, and on any subject you want. It's a big grade, so make sure you get it done well."

Yuki looked over at me and rolled his eyes.

"so, onto the pairs. Uh… Leanna, your with Kisha. Yuki, your with Lucas, Tony and Yuuli, Georgia and Frankie, Joseph and Gregory, Benny with Emily, and finally…."

Oh my god…

"Matt,"

**Oh my god…**

"and Mello."

I looked over at the blonde in question. He was staring at me with wide eyes and he looked almost….

….scared.

Then the bell rang and he was out of the classroom before Mrs. Roberts could say another word.

"Tough luck man." Lucas said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"How are you even going to get the thing written if he doesn't talk to anyone?" Yuki asked.

"I don't know, I guess he'll just have to deal with it."

##

It had a point! Chya! So the ideas a bit overdone, what ever, I like it =]

Reviews for hugs? [and a sugary treat of course]


	5. Chapter 5

Oh my Bob it's been AGES since I've done anything on here! -cries-

I'm sorry! My computer was being a bitch and I was to lazy to use someone else's because I would have had to travel to someone else's house and then ignore them for a few hours, which wouldn't go well. Forgive me -pleads-

(I've started my freshmen year of highschool now, by the way, just in case you wanted to know what grade I'm in and I doubt you did but whatever.)

Chapter five- Sell your soul

[Light's POV]

"Misa, get off me." I say, trying fruitlessly to get her the fuck off my arm.

"But Light! I have to tell you about my party! It's this Friday, and everyone who's anyone is going, you're going to be my date so you have to get to my house by 7!"

How did this girl get deluded into thinking she's my girlfriend? I'm gay for fucks sake.

Speaking of girlfriends, where's L? He's probably hanging out with his geeky friends. Why does he still hang around with them?

"Misa, I'm not your boyfriend."

My protest fell on deaf ears.

"You have to wear your nice black shirt and those pants I bought you, you'll look so cute!" she squealed.

Someone kill me.

[L's POV]

Someone kill me.

I don't believe this, another party. She's invited him to _another_ party. That means he'll go so she doesn't bitch him out later, which means I have to go to make sure she doesn't rape him, and that's going to get her mad, and _that's_ going to make him grumpy.

I just can't win.

I know this is going to make me sound like a pathetic little girl obsessing over a first crush, but _why doesn't he ever notice me?_ I've done everything I can think of to get his attention short of whoring myself around the school (unlike a certain blond semi-slut now hanging off his arm) and nothing. If anything, we're friends. And nothing else. Nothing at all.

Ugh. I feel so emotional it's sickening.

"…L?"

"Huh?" I look up to see 2 of my … teammates I guess you could call them, Linda and Jay.

"You've been staring off into space for like 10 minutes, it's your turn." Linda said.

I looked down at the chess board and move my queen.

"Check mate." I said blandly.

Okay, so maybe I can win, just not with him.

"…fuck you." She said in frustration.

"You have a wonderful vocabulary, Linda; please keep the swearing in your head."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She said. "I have to go, guys. See you next week."

"What?" Jay asked.

"Vacation with my step mom. 'Bonding time' or whatever. I'll be back next Wednesday." She explained, packing up her backpack hurriedly.

"Oh, okay then, have an awesome time Lin!" he said enthusiastically.

"…Shut up, Jay."

And with that, she left the classroom.

"So, L, how's your thing with Light going?" he asked casually, putting away the white pieces.

"I know nothing of what you speak."

"Dude. You weren't staring into space, you where staring at him when he was out in the hall with that Misa chick. You always stare at him. I'd think you where creepy if I didn't do the same thing with Linda."

"You are more observant than I first thought, Jay."

"… Thanks? But really, have you asked him out?" he started picking up the black pieces.

"I haven't."

"You should."

"He doesn't want me to."

"How the fu- how the heck do you know?"

"He is Light, I am L, and we cannot be us. That's just the way it is."

[Matt's POV]

"DUDE! Hey, get over here!" Lucas called from down the hall. I shut my locker and went to join him and the rest of the group.

"Guess who got us invited to Misa Amane's party this Friday?" Lucas said, a proud smirk on his face.

"no way dude, how?" Yuki asked.

"turns out she knows my brother, so she said if I get him to go I can go and bring as many friends as I want as long as I don't bring that sheep kid."

"Dude," John laughed, "we should totally invite Mello."

"Oh my god! That would be hilarious!" Lisa looks like she just got the Christmas present of a lifetime. "do you think he'd even go?"

"Matt! You're doing that project with him, you get him to go. We'll have a little surprise planned for him when he gets there." John says with this creepy expression.

Shit. What the hell is he talking about? Poor Mello.

"Do I have to?" I ask.

"Of course, dude this shit is going to be epic!"

"Come on, John, if he doesn't want to-" Yuki started.

"Nah, he should." Lucas said. "Matt, if you get him to go to this party, and we get a surprise for him, then we could be fucking remembered at this school."

"Yeah, come on Matt!" Dina said, tugging on my sleeve. "Please??"

…I hate peer pressure.

"…I'll see what I can do. I'm not making any promises, though. I mean, jeez, I've only got a few days to get to know him."

"Alright dude. I got to go before I miss my bus. See you." Lucas said, picking his back pack up off the floor and jogging out the school's front door.

"We should get going too, by Matt!" Dina said, and the girls left as a unit.

John, Yuki, and the silent Denny and Vic exited soon after. I groaned and turned around just in time to see Mello walking towards me in the almost empty hallway.

He was walking hunched over, dragging a heavy looking messenger bag behind him. He stopped when he was about 4 or 5 feet away from me. He didn't look up to see me, just kept staring at the floor with his hair over his face, waiting for me to say something.

"So… you're Mello, huh?" I said, leaning over to try and see his face.

"Nope."

"Great, so about this thing we have to do-"

"I can do it."

"…?"

"By myself."

"Sorry, not Mello, I got this assignment too, so you're going to have to deal with me." I said, smiling.

"fine." He said.

Alrighty then.

"why don't you come to my house today? You got a phone?"

"Don't need one."

"Well, do you want to come over or what?"

"Not really."

"Are you going to?"

"Yeah."

"You going to tell your parents?"

"Parent. Singular. No."

"Okay. Let's go."

I started walking to the door, I heard him following, still dragging his bag.

"47 Holley Street." He said once we where outside.

"…"

What the fuck?

"You live there."

"Yeah, I know."

"I can get there on my own." He said, then without another word he dragged his back over to the bike rack, got what I hope is his bike, and rode off in the direction of my house.

"Fucking creeper." I muttered, and followed him on foot.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six: fireflies

"Why do you keep the key under the mat?" Mello asked when I finally got to my house, dangling the silver key in front of my face.

"My mom hid it, why'd you take it?"

"To get in." he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I could have let you in."

"I'm impatient."

He still won't let me see what he looks like properly, but I did catch a glimpse of his face when the wind moved his hair. He's pretty good looking, for a creepy loner.

He shrugged and went back into my house. He seems to have made himself at home, I noticed as I followed him through the kitchen and into my living room. He's thrown his bag onto the couch and he's sitting on the floor next the coffee table. I sit next to him as he tugs his bag onto the floor. It's all torn and frayed on the bottom, probably from him dragging it everywhere. It looks like it's been patched up about 6 times. He opens it and pulls out a tattered notebook and a pen.

Something strange about Mello: he rarely touches anything with his hands. He keeps them covered by the sleeves of his oversized sweatshirt. It's kind of… endearing. Like a little kid in their parent's coat.

"You have that instruction paper thing for this?" he asked. "I think I lost it."

"Um...yeah." I said, digging it out of my backpack. "Here."

He read it over quickly.

"Alright… so we basically just have to write two pages of fiction. Easy." He said

"Do you write a lot?"

"Define a lot."

"…constantly?"

"Yes."

"What do you write?"

"Stuff."

"Are you going to tell me what kind of stuff?"

"No."

Grr.

"Hey, Mel, can I call you Mel? Anyway, why won't you let me see you?" I ask. I have to get him to like me somehow…

"I don't care what form of Mello you use because Mello is not my name. I don't let you see me because that's just what I feel like not doing."

…this is going to be a very long project.

"So, what do you think we should write?"

"How about a fairytale?"

"…"

"Seriously. It could have a queen and an evil with and roses and all that shit."

"Okay. Sure. We'll write a fairytale." I nod.

He opens his notebook and starts scribbling something in tiny, messy handwriting.

"How come you talk so much now? You where kind of limited in your sentences at the school."

He doesn't look up when he answers.

"There were quite a few peoples there. I don't talk much in front of peoples. You, however, do not qualify as a people, so I can talk to you." He explained.

What the fuck is wrong with this kid?

"What am I if not a people?"

"You are a person. Persons are safe."

"What're you writing?"

He puts his pen down and hands me the notebook. It's kind of falling apart so I have to hold it carefully.

_Once apon a time there was…_

_A witch. Yes, a witch. An evil one, too. She lives in a hut or something out in the woods because she hates the queen. Everyone else loves this queen because she's so nice and all, but she's sick at the moment._

"Just notes." He said.

"Did the witch make the queen sick?"

"No, but everyone thinks she did. It wasn't her though, the queen really is sick."

"You're pretty good at this, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. It'll be way better in the actual thing though, this is just basics. You ain't seen nothing yet."

Huh. Why doesn't anyone like him? I mean, sure he's a bit hard to get used to, but other than that he's pretty damn interesting.

What's the difference between peoples and persons?

"The witch should have a cage."

"A cage?"

"Yeah a magic one." I say. "in her basement."

"She could use it to hold people who cross her."

"And it could turn them into animals when other people come poking around."

"And it could keep them the same age as they were when she put them in so she could release them years later and they'd be totally clueless. It'd keep them sick and in pain and wounds they had when they entered wouldn't heal until they where let out."

"That's sick."

"That's the point."

Alright, I was late again, but I have an excuse this time! I was grounded. Well I technically still am but my mom seems to have forgotten. Anyway, there you go. Hope you enjoyed it =].


	7. Chapter 7

Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry! I'm late again, and this time I don't have any excuses, I'm just lazy.

Chapter seven: you had time to waste.

When I walked into school the next day, it was quite different from my previous second days of school. Nerdy kids, who I normally would be hanging out with, ignored me, and people who shouldn't even know I exist come up and say hello.

As I entered the building, I was bombarded by several aberzombies, all three of whom where wearing the same outfit in different colors.

"Hi Matt, we are Ashley." The one in yellow said.

Now, I found this interesting because I have heard " hi Matt, I am Ashley" and "hi matt, she is Ashley" and even "hi Matt, this is my pet rock Ashley", but never have I heard someone introduce themselves as "we are Ashley."

I did not know how to respond, so I decided to address the air over their heads and answered, "hello Ashley."

They looked a little confused, but soon decided (in what I suspect was a telepathic joint effort) it giggle in a way that they would probably describe as cute but I thought was just annoying.

"You're so funny!" the one in blue said.

"Are you going to Misa's party?"the one in pink asked.

"yeah." I said.

"Do you have a date yet?" yellow Ashley asked.

"No"

"who're you asking?" blue Ashley asked.

"I didn't know I was supposed to bring anyone."

They let out a collective gasp.

"But-"

Before pink Ashley could continue, Lucas ran up to me and grabbed my arm.

"Sorry ladies, I'm gunna have to steal him away."

"Aww" they said as he pulled me over to 'the group.

"You making any progress with Mello?" John asks.

"He's spoken to me, if that's what you mean."

"What did the Ashley's want with you?" Jen asked.

"They asked me if I have a date to that party."

"That figures, they are so lame, such wannabes." Lisa rolled her eyes.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Come with me for a bit." Lucas said, dragging me away again.

"What?" I asked once he stopped in an empty hallway.

"You know, I find those Ashley chicks as annoying as the next guy, but they're right, you need to get someone to go to the party with you."

"Why?"

"It's all part of the plan. Ya see, Mello is gunna go to that party thinking you asked him there." Lucas said.

"Why would he think that?"

"Because we're gunna put a note that says so in his locker."

"…. Um, I'm confused."

"Ugh. We're gunna make Mello go to that party and find you with some random chick, then we're gunna steal that shitty bag he drags around everywhere. The rest is a secret." He said, like it was all fine to do that.

"But-"

"See you later, man, get a date." He said as the bell rang, walking off and leaving me in the empty hall.

"It's okay." I heard from behind me. I turned and saw that Mello was standing at the end of the hall. He must have been in the corner or something.

"Mel-"

"No. I get it. It's fine. They can win this time. I'll see you at the party." He said. Then he looked up, not bothering to hide his face anymore. He walked past me and went into one of the classrooms a few doors down.

I could have followed him.

I didn't. I left. I went to my homeroom and sat next to Lucas and acted like everything was okay.

But it wasn't okay, because Mello was pretty. I don't know why that made a difference to me, but it did.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry, it's late and shitty, but…well they all are, aren't they =/

Chapter eight: fidelity

God I feel like shit. Whenever I see him or one of my…friends I feel like such a jerk, even though I have no idea what they want to do to him.

The thing is that he doesn't even act like he cares. He nods at me when we pass in the hallway, he even said hi when I was at my locker. That just makes me feel worse.

At the end of the day, in English class, we start reading our book for the first semester thing. It's Wicked, in the second semester we're reading Catcher in the Rye. Anyway, the whole time I can't pay a damn bit of attention because I want to keep watching Mello scribble in his notebook. I want him to seem more upset, I don't want him to just take it, I don't want him to just let it happen. Even though that's exactly what I'm doing.

When the bell rings there's this mad rush to get out of the room.

"You don't want to do it, do you?" Yuki asked when Lucas had said his goodbyes and left.

"Huh? Why?" I say, glancing back and forth between him and Mello.

"You keep looking like you're gunna cry or something every time you see him. " he says. "I know the others really want you to do this… but, well… I don't know. I'd say you don't have to, but honestly I don't think they'd ever talk to you again if you didn't. "

"Why?"

"I don't know. We're all jerks like that. If you don't do it, they'll find a way to make your life hell. I just wanted you to have fair warning." He said, then shrugged and walked off.

No wonder I was happy being a nerd, these popular kids are terrible to each other.

"I told you its okay." Mello said. "There's no reason to have them hating both of us if I could just have them hate me."

He put his stuff in his bag and dragged it over to me.

"You know, sometimes I'm surprised how much they'll say in front of me. It's like I'm invisible if they aren't doing anything to me."

He's back to hiding his face again.

"I'm really fucking sorry-"

"It doesn't matter, stop killing yourself over it. Lets go."

"Where?"

"Your house, the story, remember?" he said, leading me out of the classroom. "you need anything from your locker?"

"Nah, let's just go." I said. "And by the way... don't even read the damn note they give you, just give it to me. I really don't want you to go to that party."

"Protective of me already? Darling that's sweet, but I can handle myself." He laughed a bit, opening the doors and hopping down the stairs.

"You shouldn't though, if you don't go then they-"

"They'll be pissed at you for not getting me to go. "

"Now who's protective?"

"Good point, but you're not going to stop me from doing this. Whatever they do to me couldn't possibly be any worse than what I did. Don't bother asking, I'm not going to tell you."

"Didn't bring your bike today?"

"No, I did."

"Why are you leaving it?"

"I think I would like to stay here so it can continue it's riveting conversation with the bike rack." He said seriously.

"Of course, how silly of me. Do you think we should leave it some food in case they get hungry?"

"That's a very good Idea." He said, then trotted back over to the bike and pulled an apple out of his back pack. He put it on the ground next to the bike and said "y'all have fun now" in a slightly southern accent before catching up with me.

"Do you think that'll do? " he asked a while later.

"I think you're bike and the bike rack will be very happy to have some privacy, Mel." I smiled.

"That's good. Hey, have you come up with anything for the story?"

"Not really. I mean I guess we could have the witch capture the queen in a rose garden, but other than that I don't know."

"Yeah, that sounds okay. My brain is kind of dead at the moment so I haven't got anything new." He said, taking a pen out of his back pocket . he started doodling on the back of his hand while we walked.

"whatchya drawing?" I asked, nudging him with my shoulder. He gave me this look that cracked me up, it was like a glare mixed with a pout that I'm convinced only he could pull off successfully.

"I'm drawing swirls. Isn't it obvious?"

"Yeah, but why?"

"Are you still honestly trying to understand anything I do? Even I've given that up. Hell, I just gave my bike an apple and left it to 'talk' with a bike rack. Just go with it."

I laughed. I really am starting to like this kid a lot.

"Shit, I forgot to leave the key out!" I said when we got to my house.

"No you didn't." Mello said, taking it out of his pocket. "I walk by your house in the morning so I took it."

I decided against saying anything and just took the key and unlocked the door. I held it open for him and he smiled at me, dragging his bag inside behind him.

While I was there I decided to take down the happy birthday sign that was on the door for my dad's party a few days ago. That always happens with my family, we leave things up for far too long. Last year our Christmas decorations where out past Easter. Then I put the key in my pocket and followed him in, noticing that my mom's car was in the driveway which means-

"Matt, who is this charming young man?"

I walked into the living room to see Mello happily munching on a cookie and my mom looking at him fondly.

"This is Mello mom, a friend from school. We have to write something for English." I said, taking a cookie off the plate on the table.

"Uh-uh mister, put it back, those are for auntie's baby shower."

"You let him have one!" I said indignantly.

"Yeah, well… well he's adorable. Put it back."

I put the cookie back and Mello giggled.

"Take Mello up to your room and work on this assignment of yours, and you better actually be working, no messing around." She said, "I'll bring you guys some snacks later."

"Yeah, yeah. Alright. Come on, Mel." I said, starting off towards the stairs. He caught up to me and followed me up.

"I like your mom, she's nice." He said, pulling a cookie out of his pocket. "Here, I took one for you."

"You know, she's right." I said, taking the cookie. "You are adorable. Thanks."

I opened the door to my room and held it for him again, he went in, blushing a little. How cute, unflappable Mello blushing.

I sat down on my bed and watched in amusement as he stared wide-eyed at my room.

"Like it?" I asked.

"Yeah dude. Where did you get all these CD's? And the records too!" he asked.

My room is pretty packed. It's small, so between all the aforementioned records andCD's and my collection of books there isn't much room to walk. There's a path through the music, to my bed, and threw the books.

"A lot of them my dad gave to me or I got them on my own from the store he used to work in, forever ago."

He nodded and sat next to me.

"You're so lucky. You've got all this awesome stuff, you're mom's cool, and you're house is so comfortable."

"Thanks." I laughed, "so, what do you want to do? Have you thought of anything for the story in the ten minutes since I asked last?"

"No I haven't." he said sadly. "it's odd, usually I'm just bursting with ideas, even if they're shitty, but I guess I'm just…distracted."

"I know the feeling." I said. For some reason I couldn't really look at him when I did.

"alright," I said, changing the subject, "I have a question for you."

"…okay?"

"what do you do in your spare time? You know, besides write?"

"I don't know, really. I go online a lot. I read. I like to walk around town sometimes too."

"Where do you go?" I asked, getting more comfortable and leaning against the wall. He flopped back so he was lying on the bed with his legs hanging off.

"Uh…." He screwed up his face like he was trying really hard to figure something out. "well, I go a lot of places. There aren't that many places to go so I kind of… make my own? I don't know how to put it. I'll show you sometime, maybe."

"I'd like that." I smiled.

We stayed in my room for a while, talking about nothing in particular. I found out that Mello's mom works in the same office as mine, that his older brother is in college in Boston, and that he really hates potatoes. I noticed that he likes to play with his hair while he talks sometimes.

My mom came in about an hour or so later and gave us hot chocolate. Mello drank his in about five seconds.

"What?" he said." I like chocolate."

All in all, we got nothing done, but we did decide that we would go to his house tomorrow.

When he left at 8, out of nowhere he gave me a hug goodbye.

I really do like him.


	9. Chapter 9

Annd now we switch on over to L and Light. Sorry again for the lateness, I've got another chapter half done so hopefully I'll get it up by next week.

Chapter 9: circle you

"Why did you drag me here, Light?"

I look up from my book and smile. L's so socially challenged. Here he is in the public library sitting in that weird way, looking around with wide eyes.

"Because I like your company and I wanted to get away from Misa." I said.

He stopped acting like a creeper and looked at me.

"But why here? Why the library?"

"Do you really think Misa would consider looking for me here?"

He thought for a moment.

"Well, I suppose it depends."

"On what?"

"On who she asks, and how determined to find you she is." he said. "I believe there is only one place where she would not be able to find you."

I closed my book and tossed it onto a nearby shelf. "and where's that?"

"My house." he answered simply.

"How do you figure that?"

"No one knows your going there, few even know where it is, and even fewer would go there even if they knew."

L lives in the only bad part of town, the west end. There's a lot of drugs there, and even some prostitution, which is unheard of in the rest of town. It's not exactly a small community, this town, but it is a close nit one. I live across town where all the big houses are. We met in preschool. We hated each other until 2nd grade, when my mom forced me to invite him over for dinner.

"Let's go." I said.

He nodded and got up. He took my hand and pulled me along behind him. I smile to myself, because i know I'm one of the only people he touches.

"Light, have you thanked your mother for me? Her cooking is really quite nice." He said over his shoulder.

My mom loves L. me and him have grown up together so she's sort of taken him in as a second son. It's funny actually; I think sometimes she likes him more than me.

"yeah, she said to come over next Saturday, she's making your favorite."

L stopped in his tracks and turned to me.

"Chocolate strawberries?" he asked seriously.

"Yep, she's making extra for you to take home."

He smiled widely at the prospect of getting his sweets, and continued walking.

We left the library, going through the back door so no one would see us. The west end is actually really close to the library, just up the street and around the corner.

L lives in a small apartment with his mom. His brother left last year to live with their cousins in Cape Cod. He was a bit of a problem kid; I don't think L's mom could handle him anymore. When we get to his building we have to go up 6 flights of stairs (the elevator has been busted for months) and down the hall to the second to last door on the left.

His door has 3 locks, but only one works. Once you unlock it you have to kick the door a few times for it to open.

"Mom?" he shouted into the dark room when he opened the door.

I flicked the light switch and followed L inside.

Like I said, the apartment is small. He sleeps on the couch and his mom has the only bedroom. The kitchen and the living room are connected. The furniture is nothing special, salvation army finds. Mismatched chairs at the beat up table.

"She left a note." I commented, picking it up off the table and handing it to him. He read it the crumpled it up and tossed it in the trashcan.

"She's working." He said stiffly.

L has never told me what exactly his mom's work is, but I know it upsets him. I think she might be a hooker.

"So we've got the place to ourselves?" I asked.

"Looks like it. Go sit, I'll get you something to drink." He said. "what do you want?"

"What have you got?"

He opened the fridge. "Uh… Old milk, flat soda, and juice that doesn't have a cap."

"Flat soda. How's B doing?"

"He's been arrested." He said, handing me my drink. He sat down next to me and produced a lollipop from his pocket. "For assault."

"I can't say I'm surprised. How's your mom taking it?"

"She basically said the same thing. It's been a long time coming I guess." He shrugged, "he'll be fine. Knowing him he'll get out of it with a clean record."

"Or he'll go to jail and end up ruling the place and never want to leave."

"Yeah, or that." He smiled.

"You know, I've really missed hanging out with you L." I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Yes, your senior year seems to have been busy so far."

"Misa won't leave me alone." I said, "she doesn't like your friends much , I keep trying to get to you but she always pulls me away."

"It's alright; my friends don't really like you guys all that much either."

"How's Linda, by the way?"

"She's still mad at you, if that's what you're asking."

Let me just start off by saying that whole thing was not my fault. I had no idea Misa would get Mikami to do that to Linda, and even if I'd known I wouldn't have been able to stop it.

"When did life get so complicated?" I sighed.

"When you got popular." He answered.


	10. Chapter 10

So…um… I'm back? Life has been kind of crazy… literally. I changed therapists and everything's been all over and I've been…gone. I didn't think I'd ever get back into the swing of writing, I was actually considering taking down all my unfinished fics, but then I got a review on this a day or two ago and I realized that I need something to stabilize me right now, and writing always did that for me, so… here I am. Sorry it's been so long. I don't know if I'll be able to do any other fics right now, but I'm determined to get this one done.

Chapter ten: her eyes are still half-shut

[Matt's POV]

I'm actually in a pretty good mood for most of the day. Mello has that kind of effect on me, he's just so… I don't even know. Odd, I guess. He keeps so much in and lets so much out at the same time, he talks to me, and…. he hugged me. I'm embarrassed and giddy and calm and worried all at the same time, I think my head will explode. All it took was a bit of physical contact and bam, I'm smiling like an idiot and my mom's asking me if I'm high.

I really like Mello, and that may prove to be an issue. When I realized that, my good mood kind of flew out the window and got hit by a car.

You see, Lucas and John aren't going to back off, and Mello's too fucking noble to back down now he's said he's going to the stupid party. God, I wish I wasn't such a spineless shit, then I might actually be able to do something about this. But no, I just have to be pathetic and too stupid to help the only person who I really like around here. I'm too scared of what Yuki said. I'm too scared of being alone.

I've been here for 3 fucking days and I'm already screwing everything up.

"Hey, Matt, just the guy we wanted to see!" John says when him and Lucas wave me over to their table. I go to them like the freaking jerk I am and sit with them.

Yuki's looking at me worriedly, but no one else really seems to notice anything off.

"So, he's going right?" John asked excitedly. I've never hated anyone but myself before, but I think I do now.

"Yeah. Look, uh… what are you going to do to him? I mean, he's not that bad a guy…" I said nervously.

"Oh come on, Matt. Don't punk out on us now! There's only like 2 days until the party!" Lucas said smacking my back.

"Besides, that prick is a bad guy. I'm sorry you have to associate with him, but it is a great opportunity to get back at him." John said heatedly.

"What did he do?" I asked, curiosity finally getting the best of me. I know Mello doesn't want to tell me, but how bad could it be?

"The asshole pushed my brother down a flight of stairs. He broke his arm and He's blind in one eye now, because his head hit the floor so fucking hard. That's what_ Mello_ did." John said, practically spitting out Mello's non-name.

I blinked a few times then looked over to Mello's table in shock. Mello, skinny, shy, pretty Mello, had done that to someone?

"The worst part is Jack hadn't even done anything to him. Jack's a great dude, and one day Mello just flipped and now…" Lucas trailed off. "Well, how do you get over something like that? It's permanent."

John was seething by now, telling the story got him really worked up.

I… I just don't believe it. Mello could never do that. At least I don't think he could.

But then…I only met him a few days ago. How well do I know him?

[Lights POV]

"LIGHT! Oh my god I missed you so so so much! I'm so sorry we didn't talk yesterday! Oh my god!" Misa squealed when I sat at the lunch table.

"Be quiet Misa." I said as flatly as possible. When will this girl take the hint?

"That's my Light." She sighed and latched onto my arm while I ate. Apparently never.

"Stop clinging, Misa, it's undignified." Kiyomi's thinly veiled crush on me always does come in handy, Misa grudgingly sits up strait.

Everyone knows they hate each other, but they keep up the pretense of friendship for… well, there really isn't a reason. They just always have, so I guess they always will.

Why do I have so much unwanted attention? It's just fucking lovely that the only person _I _want considers me a close friend. Maybe even family. Fuck my life. I've got everything except what I want.

Speak of the devil…

L was coming in from the courtyard with one of his chess club friends, Jay I think. Damn, I miss when it was so easy to just walk over and say hey, L, let's go grab some cake and play a game or two. But I'm class president, and I've got a reputation to uphold. Fucking high school, I can't wait until it's over and we have a whole glorious summer of just being… us.

Everything would be so much easier without Misa. She's the one who set it all up, you know. I knew Linda liked Mikami, I thought I was helping when I told him to ask her out. But then Miss Amane decided to fuck with the "chess freaks" and blackmailed Mikami into standing her up. Naturally, L's friends all thought I did it, and they still don't trust me. L's the only one who believed me when I told him what actually happened.

L's good like that.

Actually, L's just plain good. At everything. Well, everything except socializing, but I'm good enough at that for the two of us.

Or I could be, if he'd let me.

[L's POV]

"Why don't you just go and talk to him, L? He's your friend, we'll understand." Jay asked on our way inside.

"That's not the point, Jay. Even if he understands, even if he feels the same, it would never work." I said morosely.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because, liking someone, even loving them, isn't a magic fix for everything. We'd fight. A lot. We'd end up hating each other, and I can't let that happen."

He looked at me with a weird expression.

"L, you may be a genius, but you are not a fortune teller. If you never take a chance on something, you'll never know for sure. You're always talking about gaining knowledge, how could you leave such an important question unanswered?"

That stopped me in my tracks. Is it true? Am I really letting go of this chance because I'm scared of the answers? I have never once been scared of learning. Never. But I am scared of losing. Really scared. So what is it? Am I learning or losing?

"…thank you, Jay. Please tell Mr. Hinckley that I won't be coming to class today. It seems I have things to reconsider."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven: worth every penny spent

[Matt's POV]

I've been avoiding Mello since lunch. I mean, it's not exactly hard to do, but I think he can tell something's wrong because he was staring at me all through English class. I just don't know what to do now. Mello's so nice to me, he's weird and funny and kind of sweet. I don't want to think anything bad about him but I can't help it.

When the bell rings Lucas and Yuki say their goodbyes and leave. Mello waits until everyone's left the classroom to come over to me.

"What's up?" he asks, biting at the sleeve of his sweatshirt nervously.

"I have to ask you about something. It's important."

He looks me up and down, then nods slowly.

"Not here though. Somewhere less open." I say, he nods again and watches me pick up all my stuff. "Come on then."

He follows me out of the room and down the hall. I can feel him looking at me but I force myself not to turn around. I lead him to the old drafting classroom that isn't used anymore and shut us in.

"Sit down." I said. He walked over to the back of the room and pulled out two of the dusty chairs.

"You too." He said. We put the chairs so they were facing each other and sat.

We were quiet for a while.

"Why didn't you tell me what you did to John's brother?"

He looked down at his bag and his grip tightened on the strap.

"It's the only thing I regret doing, and it's the only thing people remember me for. I wanted... I don't know." He said, pulling his legs up onto the chair and hugging his knees.

"Why the hell did you do it? What were you thinking, pushing someone down the stairs? "

He didn't answer, he just shut his eyes.

"Mello! Answer me! I need to know what's going on." I stood up, frustrated. "What the hell is your problem?"

"I was just a stupid kid, okay?" he shouted, and stood up to look me in the eyes. "I was a fucking stupid brat and he was mean, alright? That's it!"

He turned to leave and was out the door before I could stop him. I followed him into the hall.

"Mello! Get your ass over her now and tell me what the hell happened! What the fuck did he do that was so horrible?" It came out louder than I'd intended, echoing a little in the empty school. He didn't stop; I had to run to catch up to him and grab his arm, pulling him around to face me.

He looked _pissed_.

"Stop fucking touching me!" he said, wrenching his arm away, "you want to know why I didn't tell you? Fine, I'll fucking tell you. I wanted someone who I could talk to without constantly being judged. No, no fuck that, I just wanted _someone_. Anyone who didn't already hate me. Fuck off."

He ran the rest of the way out of the school.

God dammit, more fucking running. By the time I was out of the school he was half way down the street. To anyone else, the chase that followed must have looked like some bizarre game of tag.

Finally Mello made a sharp right turn and ran up to a house, fumbling in his pocket for keys, giving me timer to catch up.

"I told you to fuck off!"

"No, not until you tell me everything."

He glared at me, but whatever response he might have had died, because the door opened wide revealing a tall brown haired lady.

"You've brought a friend home from school!" she said excitedly, and gave me a hug, then pulled us inside ignoring Mello's protests.

"I'm Mrs. Keehl, but call me Erika. It's so good to see that Mi-"

"Mom!" Mello interrupted, "he's not my-"

"Hey, Mel, we should go work on that project" I interrupted.

"Oh, you have work to do? Well, don't let me be a bother, call me if you need anything!" she said happily.

"Thanks Mrs. Keehl!" I smiled.

"I told you honey, Call me Erika. I'll be in the living room, bring him up to your room Hun, do you want anything?"

"No mom." Mello said, and lead me up the stair angrily. He opened a door at the top of the stairs and held it for me.

"Now what the hell did you follow me for?" he asked when he'd closed the door. "didn't your friends tell you enough about me?"

"I want to know your side, Mello." I said.

He stopped short on his way to his bed and looked at me.

"…seriously? You're not going to yell at me anymore?" he asked.

"Yeah, seriously. Now tell me."

He fell onto his bed and bit his lip before starting.

"Well, first off, it happened in…well, when I was in 1st grade. It was in the middle of the school year, and nothing had really happened. Then… well, I got called into the office. They told me that my dad…died, and that my mom was coming to get me. I ran out of the school and sat on the front steps. I was crying. Then that fucking prick came up to me and started saying shit like 'why you crying, you fucking girl, why don't you go cry to mommy and daddy' and… he was older than me. But I didn't care, I was so mad, I just…"

"You pushed him."

He looked up at me and nodded.

"Yeah. I didn't mean for him to get hurt- well, actually I did. That's what makes it worse. I wanted him hurt, and I think I may have wanted him dead for a second. God, I'm an awful person. Everyone loved the shit too, so after that, people stopped talking to me."

I sat next to him and put my arm around him. He didn't really look upset, but… he was shaking. It felt like the right thing to do.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I told the therapist. I had to see one for a while after that." He said, curling up and hugging his knees to his chest again.

"No, I mean anyone else."

"Who would believe me? As far as they're concerned, he was a hero trying to comfort me, and I went psycho and attacked him for no reason." He rested his head on my shoulder. "It's my word against his."

I didn't know what to say, so I just held him.

##

Um… yeah. So. Much. Talking. *shoots self*

Well, there you go, hope you liked it. The next one will be out soon enough -hopes she's not jinxing herself-. review please *puppy face*


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